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International Journal of Research in Social Sciences Vol. 7 Issue 8, August 2017, ISSN: 2249-2496 Impact Factor: 7.081

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613 International Journal of Research in Social Sciences

http://www.ijmra.us, Email: [email protected]

The Question of Social Inclusion: Telangana

State after Bifurcation

CHAKETI RAJU*

Introduction:

The present new state of Telangana is a resolution of prolonged statehood movement of the

masses due to structural deprivation and exclusion from the development processes over the

years in the united Andhra Pradesh. Thus, new state reflects the dreams and hopes of the

multitude. Today it is almost vital to read the new state‟s development process towards fulfilling

the social inclusion with holistic development. The movement witnessed for the immense

participation of marginalized sections of the club. They hold lots of expectations and promises

because it comprises nearly 90 percent of the population of the groups such as SCs, STs, OBCs

and Muslims (Census 2011). The masses of the region felt that „good development‟ and „social

inclusion‟ could be possible exclusively in a separate state of Telangana. Tribes or Adivasis, who

resided at the tail end of the development pyramid and deprived in the undivided A.P., also

having similar hopes. On the other side, three hundred farmers committed suicides due to severe

agrarian distress in the span of one year of the new state. In this setting, this article analyzes the

growth process in the young state of Telangana in post state bifurcation period.

The birth of Telangana, a new State of India signifies both as a kickoff and an end. It was the

outstanding feat of six decades for a separate political and ethnic identity for the people of

Telangana. This is the beginning of a new process of reinventing a new identity programmes and

policies to administer with the particular desires of the arena and to suit the genius of the weaker

parts. A deal of Government schemes formulated in the earlier suffered from prejudice, and so

now there is require of rectification through a conscious process of reorientation and

* PhD Scholar in Political Science,Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

ISSN: 2249-2496 Impact Factor: 7.081



reformulation. This is the biggest task for the Government of the new state. Hence, in this

framework, it attempts to explain the new state‟s approach in living up to the promises and

prospects of the people worked during the Telangana movement.

The Demographic Profile of the State:

The young State of Telangana is having an area of 1,14,840 sq. kilometers and a population of

3,51,93,978 according to 2011 census. It has become twelfth biggest State in terms of both area

and the size of population in the state. The State is surrounded by Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra

in the north, Andhra Pradesh in the south and Karnataka in the west. The State is mainly located

in the Deccan flat terrain region. This is the fundament for the climate which is mostly spicy and

dry. In the state two most important perennial rivers such as Godavari and Krishna are passing

through. The catchment area of the Godavari lying in the region is 79% and that of the Krishna is

68.5%. Despite a large percentage of the catchment of these major rivers lying in the State, the

present consumption of these river waters in the State has been low since the neglect of the

region in the integrated Andhra Pradesh. Details regarding district wise population, sex ratio and

percentage of SC and ST population are represented at a lower place.

Table 1.1: Telangana District-Wise Population of SCs and STs

Sl

.

N

o.

District Population Sex

Ratio

Literac

y

Area

(Km2)

Densit

y per

Sq

% of

SC

Popula

tion

% of

ST

Popul

ation

1 Adilabad 2741239 1001 61.01 16105 170 17.82 18.09

2 Hyderabad 3943323 954 83.25 18480 217 6.29 1.24

3 Karimnagar 3776269 1008 64.15 11823 322 18.8 2.84

4 Khammam 2797370 1011 64.81 16029 175 16.55 27.37

5 Mahabubnagar 4053028 977 55.04 18432 219 17.49 8.99

6 Medak 3033288 992 61.42 9699 313 17.73 5.57

7 Nalgonda 3488809 983 64.2 14240 245 18.27 11.03

8 Nizamabad 2551335 1040 61.25 7956 321 14.54 7.56

9 Ranga Reddy 5296741 961 75.87 7493 707 12.31 4.13




10 Warangal 3512576 997 65.11 12846 274 17.54 15.11

TELANGAN

A

3,51,93,978 988 66.46 114840 306 15.44 9.34

INDIA 1,210,193,42

2

943 72.99 328759

0

382 16.64 8.62

Source: Population Censes 2011, Government of India.

The above Table 3.1 demonstrates that the districts such as Khammam, Adilabad and Warangal

together represent 50 percent of tribes in the new state. In another side the number of SCs in the

all districts, except Hyderabad, consisted in preponderance amount. It can be illustrated like in

the following figure no.2.

Figure 2: Telangana District-Wise Population of SCs and STs

Source: Figure drawn from the above table.

In the case of Telangana State population, it is mainly rural with 61.33% of people residing in

rural areas and in the urban areas it is 38.67%. “In the decade 2001 to 2011 the growth of total

population in the State has moderated to 13.58% from 18.77% in the preceding decade, it

appears that the development of the urban population has been witnessing a substantial growth.

Urban population in the State grew by 38.12% in the decade 2001 to 2011 as compared with

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

% of SC Population % of ST Population




25.13% in the preceding decade” (Census 2011).1 In sharp contrast, “rural population in the State

grew by a modest 2.13% as per the 2011 census. The development of urban population is

principally an explanation of migration from the Seemandhra region of the erstwhile State of

Andhra Pradesh and partly on account of migration from within the State and other divisions of

the state. The capital city of Hyderabad, which is exclusively urban, accounts for over 29% of

the State‟s total urban population”.2

The population of the state consists mainly of disadvantaged sections and people going to the

lower rung of the societal pecking order. Of the entire population of the State, the Scheduled

Tribes (ST) constitute 9.34% and Scheduled Castes (SC) constitute 15.44%. The share of

scheduled tribe‟s population is more eminent than the national norm of 8.60%. When we look at

the 2011 census, there has been a notable growth in the proportion of tribal population in the

total population from 2.81% in 1961 to 8.19% in 1981 and further to 9.34% in 2011. The

addition is principally an explanation of the inclusion of certain castes under the category of

scheduled tribes. The population of Minorities is 12.5 and remaining is from other backward

classes. As a consequence of the higher part of backward classes in total population casts a larger

obligation of the State Government in terms of empowering them to arrive up to the level of

other castes (Outlook 2015, Govt of Telangana).

Reinventing Telangana and Development process

Reconstruction of golden Telangana is an important task in the new state. It has discharged three

years since it started journeying on June 02 2014. The new state has to boost the people‟s

aspirations and hopes regarding their betterment because the movement was a struggle for a

notion of development for marginalized groups and for inclusive growth. These concerns were

submitted in the form of Inclusive Telangana. In the context of completion of one year of

Telangana it intends to bring the achievement and the failures of the state in one year.

Thither was a claim that despite receiving the adequate revenue potential, Telangana was being

supported because of the deflection of its resources. Telangana‟s share in expenditure remained

1 According to the population census 2011, Government of India

2 Ibid




much lower than its share in gross collections. This was more than confirmed by the

determinations of the Lalit Committee appointed by the Government of India to estimate the tax

income surplus of Telangana in relation to the expenditure incurred. The diversion of Telangana

revenue continued unabated even while there was huge expenditure needs to build up the

backward districts. The viewpoint of the TRS party that such deviation has been taking place in

the combined State has been more than vindicated by none other than the Fourteenth Finance

Commission, a constitutional and independent body.

In this fresh state the most important facet of the region is to furnish a more beneficial life and

social development of the weaker parts of the social club. New state must guarantee the equal

use of resources for meeting the promises and problems accumulated. The immense task before

the Government is not merely setting the historical wrongs, but also quickly imparting social and

economic justice for the immense majority of the multitude as a vision. Telangana has suffered

on all fronts in the yesteryear. With the recognition of separate Statehood, people have seen the

fruits of self-rule. Though it has direct command over the affairs of the State, a number of

indirect forces are bent on creating hurdles in efforts to modernize the State. In that event, this

article tries to break down the impact of some of these new schemes and state approach towards

social development. The challenge is to support the new schemes and to see to it that the benefits

reach the targeted persons/groups of marginalized. The dynamics of policy making need to place

people at the heart of the planning process and the Government of Telangana has to dedicate

towards this accomplishment.

Progress in government programs and policy announcements so far initiated can be termed as the

foremost steps to observing the reinventing Telangana. These policy announcements and

programs serve as helpful pointers of the imagination and the milestones along the route to

development and fruition of „Bangaru Telangana‟ (Golden Telangana). There must be a new

vision which can broadly focus for “progress with distributive justice”.

In this article I would like to explore the constructive part of the new regime and its approach in

reaction to this sort of social economic profile of the new state in the post bifurcation period.

With the establishment of the state of Telangana, there are more promises to address and meet




the long cherished hopes and aspirations of people. The new state has completed its three years

of existence on June 2, 2017. In this context, it attempts to address the progress of the

marginalized sections of the society in the span of one year of the new state. This chapter

attempts to explain the development process of the new state in the post bifurcation period.

The drive for movement was mainly founded on three important aspects such as Water, Revenue,

Employment opportunities. Out of three, first two have been thrown more or less important, but

the matter of providing employment opportunities has not been taken into concern in the span of

one year of the new state government. It is then unfortunate to experience that there is no

blueprint of provisions for developing prosperous Telangana as promised in the movement and

election time.

The reconstruction of Telangana in post bifurcation has become one of the major challenges to

the TRS led government. The two aspects welfare of the people and good organization are

playing important role in the state as mentioned in the manifesto. It appears the time has come to

live up to the promises and prospects that hit during the movement and electoral period. People

considered that their way of life style will be more adept in the new land, but the state has not got

hold of any steps in terms of decisions and policies at the weed-root level. Besides the

government has not made any clear indication regarding the promised employments to the youth

which became a catastrophe. One of the major problems the region had been facing is farmer‟s

suicide. It has gone forward in the new state also as none of the government programs and

strategies helped them to quit. There is a dire need to eradicate this sort of crime in the state.

These are the questions come across when we sing about the constructive part of the state to

maintain its distinctive culture and history and the reservations of jobs in the state for its

residents such as STs in the event of political agency.

Like a shot in the new state of Telangana, there would be high expectations of these common

people for their economic betterment and for chances to participate in shaping their destinies.

Nothing short of a new social framework that allows inclusive and participatory development

would be able to fulfill these ambitions. As economic expert Rao says “social, political

arrangement that allows the common people to share political power and responsibilities at




various levels would enable them to articulate their real problems and explore workable solutions

in keeping with local resource endowments” (Rao 2010).3 Such an arrangement would also

enable them to see the possibilities and limitations of development with the available resources

and can elicit constructive effort from them, ensuring stability and social harmony. There was a

notion that social inclusiveness could not be achieved in the bigger state of Andhra Pradesh

because the voice of the disadvantaged sections was fragmented. Moreover Experience shows

that the traditional entrenched interests are perpetuated in bigger and heterogeneous states,

because of their approach to large resources, power and impudence. The weaker sections, on the

other hand, can get together, organize themselves and enhance their voice effectively in a

relatively homogenous state because of common history and customs and therefore an easy

power to intercommunicate with each other. This was one of the reasons for demanding the

smaller states.

Social Development of the State

In the case the constructive role of the state towards social inclusion and justice must

be understood in terms of programs and development schemes initiated by the new state so far. It

is the responsibility of the state to fulfill the promises and prospects of marginalized. During the

campaign when it was at peak level the promise was realized that they will establish a separate

state into „Golden Telangana‟ by implementing welfare and development schemes for weaker

sections. They kept saying it was their main objective in the new state. After, completing all

irrigation projects and providing drinking water to the every house also were assured. The new

formed state did not yet assure the farmers to help and mitigate them from unseasonable crop

failures.

Of course, there are some highlights of the accomplishments of the new regime, especially its

success in overcoming the electricity shortage, preserving its distinctive culture and its symbols,

ongoing programs like „Mission Kakatiya‟ to revive lakes, „Water Grid‟ to supply water to every

household, social security pensions for different sections of the people and waiver of farm

loans. But TRS led- government is not yet fully implementing all its hopes, including land

3 C.H Hanumantha Rao, Regional Disparities, Smaller States and Statehood for Telangana 2010, Academic

Foundation New Delhi, p.112




distribution among landless Dalits full fledgly, pensions to widows, old-aged people,

handicapped, beedi workers, and schemes to supply financial assistance of Rs. 51,000 each for

the marriage of women from economically backward classes. In any state the serious status of

social growth does matter a lot in the increment. The condition of adversely affected artisans of

the areas such as weavers, potters and others due to industrialization and urbanization need to

improve in the new state of Telangana.

The new state as an agency of social uplift of the marginalized in guaranteeing the provisions

such as distributing three acres of good land to the entitled SCs/STs is one of the imperative

schemes towards social inclusion and holistic development of the state. Even in the new state

seems it did not provide any basic concern in some fields. In the case, Telangana movement was

placed as a desire for greater democracy and empowerment. Thither was a people‟s participation,

which ultimately worked into a democratic movement for more participatory democracy and

inclusion of the lower groups in the mainstream of administrative growth.

Why the notion of statehood for Telangana has become a major objective in 1960-68s onwards

and why TRS adopted it as a sole motivation in later contexts. Likewise the campaign for

statehood we will have to watch over the evolution of a demand in the context of intersections

between social trends and electoral politics. During the period of Chandra Babu Naidu, there was

a claim that he had built up a concentrated way of political and management that was extended

by his heirs. The impression of neglect played a crucial role in this time. Telangana region

reflected perceptions that economic growth in the region and Hyderabad has been dominated by

caste and political class originating in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. The strategy of this

class has neglected the fate of struggling country side that passed to postulate on the need to

protect the jobs and land of local make communities. The advocates of the movement claimed

that the development around Hyderabad favored the outside peoples. Therefore, they have felt it

has become internal colonialism, in which rural areas culture and speech have long been

separated.

In this present context, it is significant to recognize how far the young state of Telangana has

taken steps towards economic growth and social inclusion in the span of three years. The




constructive role of the new state government approach can be respected in terms of programs

and systems such as the upheaval of the weaker parts. The management of the region‟s resources

for more serious growth of the nation is a significant prospect. For that the creation of new state

must represent more inclusive and social growth of the region otherwise the operation of state

formation renders almost deliberately ambiguous the question of who the young state was being

created for. During the movements the tribes were promised that in that respect would be

substantive improvements in their material lives or their political representations by providing 12

reservations for STs.

Welfare Schemes in the New State

In providing welfare schemes for a fresh vision of reinventing Telangana and considering the

demands and dreams of the people of Telangana, in fact the Government has launched some

welfare schemes, with a particular focus on the weaker sections like ST, SC, BC and minorities

of the guild. “One of the most significant welfare initiatives of the Government is the „Aasara‟

pension scheme started on last year, covering the hapless and vulnerable population like widows,

weavers, toddy tappers, and old aged people. Another significant welfare scheme of the new

Government is the land purchase scheme that provides 3 acres of agricultural land to landless SC

women, along with the provision for creation of irrigation facilities, lifting devices, land

development and other agricultural inputs for their sustained livelihood” (Outlook 2015).

In this section I will briefly explain the new state welfare schemes such as “Kalyana Laxmi” and

Aasra. In many households, especially for the poor, marriage of a daughter is a major effect as

well as a reason for indebtedness. In parliamentary law to help SC and ST families during

weddings and save them from indebtedness, the “Kalyana Lakshmi Scheme‟ has been introduced

under which SC and ST families are offered a financial assistance of Rs.51, 000 for each SC and

ST girl at the time of her wedding. Similar assistance under the „Shadi Mubarak Scheme‟ is also

paid to families of minorities, including Muslims, Christians and Sikhs at the time of their

daughter‟s wedding. The new Government is also struggling to meet the housing needs of the

poor with the provision of two bedroom houses with a hall, kitchen, bathroom and a lavatory at a

unit cost of Rs.3.5 lakhs” (Outlook 2015).




Development of social and economic infrastructure is a precondition for faster economic growth

and development. The Government is still to address this critical need and accordingly key

investments are planned in this sector. Reinventing Telangana is a significant social-cultural

element. In the integrated A.P, Telangana traditions and culture have been comparatively

mistreated and its richness underplayed. For transformation of Telangana values and customs,

the new leadership has a huge responsibility for the revival of rich culture and traditions. As a

part of in this way, the new state has affirmed „Bonalu‟ and „Bathukamma‟ as State official

festivals and celebrating this with pride. Accordingly to this endeavor „Kaloji Kala Kendram‟ at

Warangal and „Telangana Kala Bharati‟ at Hyderabad proposed to be set up (Outlook 2015). To

utilize the services of Telangana artists for spreading awareness of State Government programs,

„Telangana Samskruthika Sarathi‟ has been set up. In this context the common masses might

bear a set of expectations from the new state. In this section I will discuss whether the new state

has delivered the promises made in the region in terms of welfare schemes and developmental

programmes in three years of state formation.

Tribal’s Development

There is a conception that smaller states are simply accessible to the development of the common

people because they can speedily and cleverly tackle their problems. Moreover, governance at

the grass-roots can be better in smaller or new states. The empowerment of marginalized sections

can be anticipated to be high on the program because of their representatives can bring to bear on

the new establishments in the relatively new state of Telangana.

In the case of tribes, they are the mainly deprived sections socially and economically with

negligible political say in the decision making process. Since these adivasis live in distant

regions, they have been subjected to land alienation historically in the undivided Andhra

Pradesh. In that location were more recommendations from various committees appointed on

tribal issues, but no government has taken any initiatives to protect their country and their rights.

So despite these people having more hopes in the young province, still yet no human activity or

legal philosophy has been passed favored to them. The population of the STs in the state is now

increased to 9.34%. Thus, these tribes also expected that they will have their say more effectively

in a separate state of Telangana. During the movement tribes were promised that they will




receive a special reservation like 12% in the new land. The new state government is striving to

provide the reservation in fulfilling the promises made.

In the case of tribes when we look at government policies and schemes it seems that it has not

made any clear assurances in providing three acres of acres to the STs as promised during the

campaign. The Adivasis still have tensions and misgivings about their future, as some of the

tribal groups have already been moved due to mega Polavaram project that moved the folks to

merge into A.P unwillingly. The social inclusion of the tribes has not done at all in the new state

despite there were given promises and warrants in the movement for statehood. The government

not passed any new law or act to prevent the tribal land in the region. This is something that is

taking place in the new state the government failed to boost the confidences in the clans.

There are tribal groups such as Chenchus, Naikpodu, Gonds and Koyas in the state. All of them

lagged behind in the mire of development. The tribes Gonds, Chencus, Konda Redy and

Lambadas those who are dwelling in the forest areas subjected to loss their identity and self-

reliance. Their country and rights need to be protected in the commonwealth has not acted so far.

Hence, these were the most disadvantaged nomadic tribes, therefore they should be included in

social development in the area. They took part in the movement for separate statehood. The

young land is nevertheless to supply opportunities for the betterment of people in this respect.

The earlier concept of evolution has resulted in disadvantage to certain castes and communities

and lowered them further in social position. Thus the steps towards development have not yet

clearly reflected in the state of course, these sections are highly expecting from the new

state. Subsequently the state bifurcation the Polavaram project designed to displace the Koyas

and Konda Dora nomadic.

The betterment of weaker sections will have to happen in the state. As of today, there is no blue

print towards the social inclusion of the government position. The people of the region believed

that there would be holistic development of all sections in a separate state. In the case of

providing shelter to the entitled beneficiaries in the state, the government is proposing the double

bedroom houses to the poor and most backwards. The outline has also not yet implemented

though it is an ongoing plan.




The people believed that development in the mother wit of the fair share in water resources,

opportunities, jobs and equal voice in political decision making is not possible in the integrated

state and that separate statehood alone can make sure fairness for them. The policies presented

by the leaders could not be maintained for long because of the absence of assurance and

necessary political will among their heirs. On the other hand, the full stop following the demise

of these leaders witnessed a major shift in socioeconomic policies. An ignorance of farming,

rural development and “the social sectors in the post liberalization period and the consequent rise

in rural distress have brought into sharp focus the rise in regional disparities in development

(Rao 2010). So in the new state, there require of land reforms and other socioeconomic measures

affecting the large majority of the weaker sections.

The promises of providing reservations to STs and Muslims have not been hashed out in the new

land. In fact, they propose to empower the disadvantaged sections such as STs and Muslims. If it

takes place in the state it would unleash the imaginative energies of the people by triggering off

social transformation in the neighborhood. The sort of social justice makes ensure by bringing

them into situations of force and would improve governance both because of smallness of the

land and better participation of the masses. In reality the government is not that much serious in

providing reservations.

It is more concerned in a major way to know whether the government concrete programs

intended to swear out the objectives of social justice and integral plan for prosperous Telangana.

a) The distribution of surplus land among the landless which is the turning point in favour of the

new government. In the reality it has become a hurdle for the government due to lack of

cultivatable land and buying it from the large landlords. And then the fresh state is striving to

offer the commonwealth to the entitled landless poor peoples. b) Providing the institutional credit

planning in the husbandry has not geared up well with a scene to ensuring social objectives. C)

In the rural works‟ case, for instance renovation of tanks and rural progress has been given

adequate priorities. D) In the event of industrial growth, the new state admitted into the initiative

steps very speedily by introducing the new industrial policy of the country. e) Educational

facilities, especially providing promotion of education among the hapless. It was pulled in a




promise that „KG to PG will be implemented in the new land. In the case the state has not taken

steps towards it.

Conclusion

It is too early to comment on the full-fledged development of the state because it is merely a

matter of three years at the time of writing this article. What‟s significant is the agreement of the

new state approach towards inclusive holistic development. In this context, there are some

successful programs which have been given more importance according to the priorities in the

region. By the time of writing this article it appears that there are a great deal of unfinished tasks

to get the state into really „golden Telangana‟ by fulfilling the promises and ambitions.

The new state has failed to secure basic rights to the people across the State during the one year

of existence. It is significant that the new State should change the conditions of impoverishment

and loss for the disadvantaged groups and communities that deny basic entitlements required for

minimum subsistence. In the new state, as many feared, it brought no change in the political

culture as the dominant political leadership (Velama, the upper caste) has hijacked the Telangana

movement. Despite having a people‟s right perspective, the telangana movement itself has failed

to challenge the prevailing political culture during the fermentation. And what is worrying is that

the larger interest of the dominant class is always supported by the democratic capitalist state

(Hargopal 2013), and any constitution which is outside the hegemonic class character of the

capitalist state is intolerant to the latter which is falling out in reality in the raw land.

It is the story of a region in terms of its civilization, terminology, customs, and economic system

that people relate to, and the people‟s rights movements articulate it politically has become much

more important. In a nutshell, any democratic assertions demand a separate state for freedom

from exploitation and the right to self-determination. Thus, the issues of basic entitlements to

resources of substance, which concern people on both the sides of the divide, need to be talked

about and considered. Political parties must make ensure that using the demand not for electoral

gains and they have to run out for strategies of development to ensure redistribution of the basic

productive resources to produce the new Telangana State far more inclusive and democratic than

what the existing Andhra Pradesh has been, or else it will become another unblurred segregation.




References:

Rao, C. H. (2010), Regional Disparities, Smaller States and Statehood For Telnagana.

Academic Foundation, New Delhi.

Rao, C. H. (2014), "The New Telangana State A perspective for Inclusive and

Sustainable Development", Economic & Political Weekly, XLX (9): 10-13.

Sarangi, Asha and Sudha Pai (2011), Interrogating Reorganisation of States: Culture,

Identity and Politics In India.New Delhi: Routledge.

Tillin, Louise (2014), Remapping India, New States and Their Political Origins, New

Delhi, Oxford University Press.

Government of Telangana (2015), Planning Department “Socio Economic Outlook

2015”.

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